Undoubtedly, waste removal in Brisbane is an essential service we cannot live without. We only have to look back to March of this year to see that it was one of the selected industries allowed to continue to operate through COVID-19. Waste removal is essential for day-to-day operations to continue, both commercially and domestically, and of course, to prevent hazardous repercussions of waste build-up.
Waste removal in Brisbane is a complex process that involves various departments. The state councils offer waste services and private commercial waste contractors and services, including 4 Waste Removals.
Today, I will take my experience in the waste removal industry and, as the owner of 4 Waste Removals, provide you with a comprehensive guide to rubbish removal in Brisbane. I’ll look at the entire process, from when you discard waste at home to how it is treated and where it ends up.
Understanding waste
The very first step in waste removal is understanding waste. It’s vital to know the different waste type categories and distinguish one type of waste from another. This understanding will help identify what can and can’t be placed in the council’s wheelie bins and also what waste goes into each type of bin.
General Waste – Red lid wheelie bin
General waste is classified as general household waste, produced from daily living.
Permitted waste includes the likes of:
- Food and organic scraps
- Meat
- Soft plastics
- Kitty litter (wrapped)
- Bubble wrap and plastic strapping
- Polystyrene and foam food containers
- Nappies and paper towels
- Old clothes, rags and shoes
- Ropes and hoses
- Broken ceramics, mirrors and glass (including Pyrex)
- Product packaging
- Non-recyclable plastics
- Green waste
- Garden rubbish
- Bagged kitchen waste
Prohibited general waste includes:
- Building and renovation waste
- Brinks and concrete
- Large metal objects
- Rocks and rubble
- Treated timber
- Liquid waste
- Hazardous chemicals
- Soils
- Stumps and large branches
- E-waste
- Hot ashes
- Recyclable material (place in yellow lid bin)
- Asbestos
- Corrosive or toxic substances
- Gas bottles, canisters and cylinders
- Mercury lamps
General Recycling – Yellow lid wheelie bin
General recycling is general recyclable waste that is common in all homes. It’s vital to understand this waste type above all others, as one wrong item can contaminate a rubbish truck’s entire load of recyclable rubbish. Mistakes such as this largely contribute to the cost of recycling in Australia.
Permitted waste includes the likes of:
- Bread bags
- Milk and juice cartons
- Cream, ice cream, yoghurt, drink and detergent bottles and containers
- Aluminium incl. soft-drink cans and aerosols
- Steel incl. food cans and tins
- Biscuit packet wrappers
- Paper goods packaging
- Plastic wrapping from paster, rice, frozen vegetables, and lollies
- Plastic bags (recyclable kind)
- Glass
- Cardboard, excluding waxed cardboard boxes
- Cereal box liners
- Hard plastic packaging
- Paper, magazines, and newspapers
Prohibited waste includes:
- Food and organic scraps
- Plastic bags
- Window or table glass
- Nappies
- Old clothes, rags and shoes
- Light globes
- Polystyrene and foam food containers
- Electronics
- Liquids
- Wooden items
- Non-recyclable plastics
- E-waste
- Building and renovation waste
- Brinks and concrete
- Rocks and rubble
- Green waste
Green Waste – Green lid wheelie bin
Green waste is classed as strictly 100% green waste.
Permitted waste includes the likes of:
- Branches, twigs and tree limbs (up to 15cm in diameter and 50cm in length)
- Lawn clippings
- Flowers
- Plants
- Palm fronds
- Stumps
Prohibited waste includes:
- Anything not mentioned above!
In addition to the council’s wheelie bin collection, which, as stated above, only collects general waste, general recycling waste and green waste in Brisbane, there are private commercial waste removal services in Brisbane. Such waste removal services manage waste that is prohibited, hazardous or too large for the council’s waste removal service.
Bulky Waste
Bulky waste is that which is too large or not permitted as general waste. In such cases where bulk waste needs collecting, a company such as 4 Waste Removals, which specialises in bulk waste removal, is required.
Examples of bulky waste include the likes of:
- Furniture
- Mattresses
- Appliances
- Whitegoods
- E-waste
- Light building materials
- Sports equipment
- Vanities, sinks and baths
- Barbeques, excluding gas bottles
Construction Waste
Construction waste is heavy and generally classified separately from other waste types. In such cases where construction waste needs collecting, a skip bin company, which accepts construction waste, is required.
Examples of construction waste include the likes of:
- Timber
- Roofing tiles and sheeting
- Bricks
- Wood, glass and plastics
- Concrete/cement
- Metal incl. pipes and cables
- Carpet and carpet underlay
- Rubble
- Paint tins
The Waste Journey
With a good understanding of waste types, your waste will be correctly sorted and ready for collection. The collection process is a journey. It starts when your waste is collected by the council or a private commercial waste service, such as 4 Waste Removals.
Regardless of whether the waste is collected by the council’s waste removal service or a private waste removal service in Brisbane, the waste journey is very much the same.
General Waste
A council contractor takes collected general waste to a local waste management centre for sorting. Waste that cannot be reused or recycled is taken to Brisbane’s world-class, engineered landfill site at Rochedale. The methane created by the landfill’s decomposing waste generates enough power to supply more than 8500 homes with power every year.
General Recyclable Waste
Collected general recyclable waste is taken to a local materials recycling facility for segregation. There, the waste is placed in a sorting line, so the different types of recyclable waste can be separated (steel and aluminium, glass, plastics, paper and cardboard, etc.). From here, they are then bulked up and subsequently sold as recycling products to manufacturers.
Green Waste
Green waste collection is an optional service that almost 100,000 households have invested in. Collected green waste is taken to Brisbane’s green waste recycling facility. Here, it is processed into compost and mulch, ready for reuse.
Private green waste removal in Brisbane is a popular option for many homeowners. Green waste bins and bags, and green waste skip bins are available from 4 Waste and are capable of holding up to 12 cubic metres of green waste.
Bulky Waste
The waste journey for bulky waste removal in Brisbane is similar to general waste; however, instead of going directly to Rochedale landfill, private contractors like 4 Waste take bulky waste to local waste management facility where it can be sorted. Non-recyclable waste is taken to the landfill site, and recyclable waste is segregated according to the waste type.
Construction Waste
The waste journey of construction waste in Brisbane is much more involved than general waste. Construction waste is sent to a resource recovery facility where large metal items are removed. The waste is then loaded onto a conveyor belt with over-band magnets which extract smaller metals. A secondary screen takes place where small items are segregated through a trommel screen. Light materials are shredded and turned into Process Engineered Fuel.
Conclusion
Waste removal in Brisbane is a complex process that requires many stages. And there is more than one process. A different process is taken based on waste types.
There is general waste, which is facilitated by red-lid wheelie bins, general recyclable waste, which is facilitated via the yellow-lid wheelie bins, green waste, which is collected in the green-lid wheelie bins, and there is also bulky waste and construction waste, amongst others.
The first step of waste removal in Brisbane is correctly identifying and segregating waste types for collection. Once the waste is collected, it takes its own journey, each strategic, to ensure proper waste disposal with maximum the recovery of recyclable materials.
If you need help with waste removal in Brisbane, give 4 Waste Removals a call! We specialise in general waste, green waste and bulky waste removal, and can ensure a hassle-free waste removal service.
Phone our office on 07 3343 3030 to enquire or book one of our services.